Sick hen that had worms or maggots

buddy18

Songster
7 Years
Mar 18, 2016
80
76
136
I have a hen that is not tame, but a over a week ago we had noticed her bottom kept getting blacker and really gross. Now like I said she has never been handled, with my other 2 they are tame and I would have put her a Epsom salt bath. I didn't know what to do, but it was getting so bad I figured some how I needed to catch her and cut off those feathers to see what was going on. Well I didn't have to do much to catch her because she was sick and smelled so bad. I started cutting off the crusted feathers and saw either maggots or worms, not just one or two but dozens! I immediately dunked her in a bucket of water that was outside and dozens of these worm started floating to the top. Not only that but when I looked her skin was all mushy and that's were they were coming from. I then got a bucket of warm water with Epsom salt and dunked her 4 more times until they weren't floating. I have never seen anything like that and she was so sick. I don't think she would have lived much longer. Brought in the house, wrapped her up and prayed for the best. Next morning when I checked on her a lifted her up and 2 worms were still in the muck. Did another bath and really worked on removing the soft tissue. She was eating some and drinking water. Started adding apple cider vinegar and electorates. I also added some DE and orally gave it to her and putting DE on her bottom and her bottom started drying out. She still looked depressed but then she had went through a horrible ordeal. I have a house chicken that had been injured and having 2 wasn't working. Thought she was doing better so I put her in the barn since the other chickens roost in the trees. Today I brought her in to warm up since it's getting cold. Then I saw something that looked like a solid egg yoke. Cut it open and saw a little bit of a soft shell in it. I have no idea what or why and she hasn't laid a egg in almost a year, we figured she must be at least 5 years old. Thought this must have been the problem and let her out .She actually was walking around and went over the flock. Next thing she comes running back with a hen attacking her. When I picked her up I looked to see if she was hurt, another yoke came out! She was bloody but not from her vent, figured it was from the attack. She now is back in the house, depressed. I just took her out to my strawberry patch which is safe. And she is just standing there not moving around. Help! I don't know what to do!
 
It certainly sounds like she is suffering from fly strike.
Can you post some pictures. It sounds as though it may be too late to save her but lets see what she looks like.
I know a woman who's chicken had fly strike so bad she could see the maggots wriggling under her skin up on her neck and they had been introduced on her belly. She had to euthanize the chicken as she was too far gone.
 
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Sounds like you almost described a lash egg or a egg broke inside her. Photo’s will help. If you can get a shot of the egg that came out. A couple views of the hen.
Well, I would take a picture but one of my dogs ate it when I brought her in the house, ugh. I wanted to open it up and see what was in it. I brought her in and I'm going to give her a warm Epsom salt bath. It's so sad to see her like this.
 
I am so sorry to hear about your hen. :hugs
Please post pix of her bottom for further help.
Her bottom has healed and I think your right about the fly strike but I think we took care of it. It's just now what to do, we don't have a chicken vet around here and so I wouldn't be able to take her in. Any idea's how to treat her?
 
Pictures of her damaged backside are still highly helpful.
You need to continue with the soaks and gently clean the area with antibacterial soap and try to remove all the necrotic (dead) tissue. Inspect her closely to ensure you have removed all of the maggots. After her soaks, gently blot her dry and apply a triple antibiotic ointment to the area.
Keep her away from the other chickens and confined in doors to prevent further fly strike of the damaged tissue. If poop gets stuck to her, she should be cleaned again.
You'll need to be vigilant about the treatments until healthy tissue starts to form.
Support her with nutri-drench in her water for a few days and make sure she has fresh food and water daily and clean dry bedding.
Good luck.
 
Pictures of her damaged backside are still highly helpful.
You need to continue with the soaks and gently clean the area with antibacterial soap and try to remove all the necrotic (dead) tissue. Inspect her closely to ensure you have removed all of the maggots. After her soaks, gently blot her dry and apply a triple antibiotic ointment to the area.
Keep her away from the other chickens and confined in doors to prevent further fly strike of the damaged tissue. If poop gets stuck to her, she should be cleaned again.
You'll need to be vigilant about the treatments until healthy tissue starts to form.
Support her with nutri-drench in her water for a few days and make sure she has fresh food and water daily and clean dry bedding.
Good luck.
Thank you, did her bath, got a lot of dead skin. Worried that it seemed swollen and red. Every day I wake up and to find her to have passed. But she surprises me everyday that she is still fighting. I told my husband when I brought her in the house again, that I'm not giving up on her.
 
Thank you, did her bath, got a lot of dead skin. Worried that it seemed swollen and red. Every day I wake up and to find her to have passed. But she surprises me everyday that she is still fighting. I told my husband when I brought her in the house again, that I'm not giving up on her.
Also, I will take a picture of her bottom and post it to see what all of you think.
 
Here's a picture of her bottom
44034091_1926849390954899_1814632555962433536_n.jpg
 

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